Daniel Farke now explains the specific transfer policy he opted for at Leeds United amid criticism
Recruitment at Leeds is under the microscope amid a mixed start to the season.
As Sunderland sit fourth after boldly spending £155m on 14 new signings, Leeds are 16th – with many fans upset the 49ers did not show a similar amount of ambition at Elland Road.
Over £100m was spent, but there did not seem to be much cohesion about the incomings.
For example, £15m man Jaka Bijol has only made two Premier League starts, while the £18m Noah Okafor was a gamble having scored just once in 21 games for AC Milan last term.
Daniel Farke has now explained the thinking behind recruitment at Leeds over the summer.
Daniel Farke admits he opted for experience over potential at Leeds United
Speaking in his press conference ahead of the trip to Nottingham Forest on Sunday, the German revealed that he wanted to sign players experienced enough to deal with the mental rollercoaster of a relegation battle.
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Farke said: “I wanted to sign (for) this season just players who are at a good age, between 23 and 30, not down the hill already (but) not a project. If you are a newly promoted side and you are normally used to winning football games… and you head into the Premier League… you will lose games. If you dwell under it by losing games and this sucks you down into quicksand, you have no chance to survive.
“So you have to make sure, not that we want to get used to losing football games, but if we lose them, you have to take it personally, you have to be embarrassed, you have to be self-critical and speak about what you need to improve.
“This is what happens to teams that are then relegated in the end – (without experienced, mature players) they panic, they lose their confidence and their calmness. For that… I wanted to sign characters who know this level… who have delivered on Premier League level, on Bundesliga level, La Liga level, Ligue 1 level, in one of the top leagues. This is why we wanted to recruit in this way.”
Nobody can really argue against that outlook, especially as the likes of Southampton and Burnley have suffered relegation in recent seasons by going too young with their recruitment.
Daniel Farke comments suggest Leeds United have learned from Georginio Rutter mistake
Farke is right – a relegation battle does require a certain character.
Leeds fans witnessed that during the 2022/23 campaign, when £35.5m was spent to bring Georginio Rutter to Yorkshire from Hoffenheim when he was just 20 years of age.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Despite his obvious talent, the Frenchman was simply too inexperienced to make an impact, with neither Jesse Marsch, Javi Gracia or Sam Allardyce ever truly trusting him.
Allardyce even said Rutter was not “good enough” for the task at hand, recently telling the Under the Cosh podcast: “He wasn’t good enough. I just couldn’t believe they paid that much money for him.
“Under those circumstances he was too young. Coming in and playing in a struggling side in the Premier League that young was a lot to ask.”
There is nothing wrong with signing a young talent, but Leeds now seem to be more aware of the profile that needs to be prioritised when survival is the main objective.
